Theatre Arts Professor Mohammad Kowsar Dies in Fall at 73

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- Kowsar was known for his impassioned style of lecturing and directing plays, his encyclopedic knowledge of theater history —particularly of the history of directing — his outspoken far-left politics and his trademark flamboyant uniform: brimmed hat, skinny tie and, improbably, a razor scooter, which he used to zip around campus.

Local director, playwright and actor Mark Jackson, who got his bachelor’s degree at San Francisco State before later going on to be a lecturer there himself, said that his first college class, first day of freshman year, was taught by Kowsar.

“Before the hour was up, he was standing on his desk,” Jackson recalled, so full of passion was Kowsar for his subject. “He ended up being one of my most influential teachers. He gave me a respect for lecturing and lectures. Lectures don’t need to be dry.”